


Testing Boundaries

by elebridith



Series: Face Value [12]
Category: Angel: the Series, Leverage
Genre: Chocolate Sauce, Crossover, Handcuffs, M/M, Shower Sex, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-02
Updated: 2014-02-02
Packaged: 2018-01-10 23:24:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1165824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elebridith/pseuds/elebridith
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anniversaries require celebration. And they've *really* missed each other. Also, some issues get solved.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Testing Boundaries

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Beta'd by rocketpool, who deserves a medal. Set two months after "Vulnerability", that is 14 months after "Not Fade Away". Kind of a sequel to "Let's Talk About".  
> This is The Twitter Bunny. Inspired by a combo conversation that included Ice_Ziggee, honeyjojames, koryou and cyphersushi. The closest thing to a PWP I'll ever write...
> 
> Disclaimer: Not mine, no one, nothing. Just playing.

Lindsey put down the kitchen knife with a relieved sigh. He eyed the bowl full of fresh, cleaned strawberries with a content smile, picked a big one and popped it into his mouth before he put the bowl in the fridge. _Now, the sauce._ He wasn't that much of a cook, but putting together Eliot's favorite topping - chocolate-chili-sauce - was something he'd learned pretty quickly. Using an eggbeater, he stirred all ingredients into the simmering melted chocolate, dipped a fresh spoon into the smooth sauce and licked it off. He smiled. _Perfect._ He gave the sauce a last stir and turned off the heat as he heard the front door open. His smile broadened. _If that isn't timing_. He turned his head to find Eliot already leaning against the door frame, lips curled into an amused smile and eyes gleaming.

"Ain't that a sight to come home to."

Eliot's voice was husky and a little teasing. Lindsey grinned happily and carefully put down the eggbeater before turning around. His grin changed to a concerned look as he eyed Eliot up and down, automatically checking him for visible injuries. His expression softened when he didn't find anything immediately. He searched Eliot's face. "You okay?"

Eliot flashed him a quick reassuring grin and nodded. "Just a few bruises. One of the guys was... persistent about getting up again."

Lindsey chuckled as he stepped closer. "Sounds like someone I know," he muttered before finally grabbing Eliot's shirt and pulling him closer. "Welcome home," he whispered before capturing Eliot's lips with a hungry kiss. Eliot responded by wrapping his arms around Lindsey's waist and pressing flush against him. He kissed back just as passionately, letting one hand wander up on Lindsey's back until he cradled the nape of his neck. Lindsey felt Eliot's lips parting slightly under his own, and he used the opportunity to catch Eliot's lower lip gently with his teeth, giving it a quick nip. Eliot hissed and pulled back a little only to dart his head forwards again, this time kissing Lindsey's neck. He gave Lindsey's earlobe a teasing nip and slowly licked a wet stripe under his ear. Lindsey groaned and bucked his hips against Eliot's, letting him feel his rapidly growing erection. Eliot pulled back and tilted his head.

"Feels like ya missed me." Despite his teasing tone he silenced every possible answer very effectively by almost attacking Lindsey's lips again, licking his way into his mouth, chasing the sweet flavor he'd found there. Lindsey dug his fingers into Eliot's pony tail and ran them through the thick curls. He deepened the kiss while wrapping a thick strand around his fingers, and then tugged at it, not exactly sharply but not far from it. A moan and a buck of Eliot's hips was his reward, and Lindsey pulled back from the kiss, laughing breathlessly.

"Eight fuckin' nights, Eliot. Couldn't sleep for three of them, and fuckin' missed ya in my bed all. The. Time." He accentuated his words by pointedly grounding his hips forward and smiled smugly. "Feels like ya missed me too... no pretty hitter girls in sight to take care of ya?"

Eliot chuckled and shook his head. "I think I got ruined for those."

Lindsey couldn't help but look very pleased and very smug at those words. "Good." He leaned forward and nuzzled Eliot's neck, scraping his teeth slowly over the skin, drawing a soft moan from Eliot. He could feel Eliot's fingers digging into his back and quickly slid his own hands along Eliot's belt, grabbing the hem of his shirt and tugging it out. Eliot pulled back a little, but didn't lose his grip on Lindsey's back. He shook his head with a mocking glare.

"Slowly, Linds, slowly. Remember the rule?"

Lindsey groaned in fake despair and let his head fall forward on Eliot's shoulder. "No sex where food is being made. Yeah." He looked up again, slow promising grin spreading across his face. "How 'bout we move this to the bedroom...?"

Eliot tilted his head, trying to look serious but lips twitching with amusement. "Dunno. I'm really hungry. Anything in the fridge?" He peeked over Lindsey's shoulder, ignoring his desperate sounds of protest. "What's up with the chocolate sauce?" He gave Lindsey a wide innocent smile and Lindsey couldn't help but laugh.

"I bought strawberries. They're in the fridge. Want some? As an..." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "...appetizer?"

Eliot narrowed his eyes and gave him a quizzical look. "Strawberries? And you made sauce... did I miss anything? Any reason for a celebration?" Caught completely off-guard, Lindsey couldn't hide the flash of embarrassment that went over his face. Eliot took a step back and cupped Lindsey's face, forcing him to meet his eyes. "I did, right? What is it?" He suddenly looked very earnest.

Lindsey bit his lower lip, leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to the corner of Eliot's mouth. "Nothing important, really." He forced a small laugh that was not entirely convincing, since Eliot shook his head and softly brushed a strand of hair out of Lindsey's face.

"Tell me. I know it ain't your birthday, and we covered that... other anniversary two months ago."

 _Yeah. When you told me you love me._ Lindsey felt a pleasant warmth in his belly at the memory. He looked at Eliot and chuckled, still trying to downplay the issue. "I just bought strawberries, okay?" At the sight of Eliot's raised eyebrows he sighed dramatically. "An' I remembered that one year ago we had sex for the first time. There. Satisfied?" Lindsey's lips twitched at Eliot's baffled expression. "What? Not a good reason for strawberries?"

Eliot blinked and then grinned. "Oh. Good reason, absolutely. That was today?" He gave Lindsey an apologetic smile. "Wouldn't have remembered that." Then he frowned. "You have a diary or something?"

Lindsey laughed at the sudden mental image of himself writing in a Harmony-style pink diary with unicorns on it. "No, no." He bit his lip and shifted on his feet, feeling a little awkward again. "It was... well, Hardison has this nifty program that pulls up files again a year after we've marked them as closed."

Eliot nodded, understanding dawning on his face. "Yeah. He always checks if there are any new developments." A small fond smile formed on his lips. "The Albers Job."

Lindsey nodded, slowly relaxing again. "I remembered the name. And... the celebration afterwards. Where I realized... you know." He huffed out a laugh. "I just had to add three more days."

Eliot closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around Lindsey's waist again. "And you bought strawberries." He shook his head and then gave Lindsey a wide brilliant smile. "Better than champagne, if y'ask me." He brushed his lips softly over Lindsey's, letting them wander to his ear. His voice was low and teasing. "Let me taste?"

Lindsey closed his eyes, feeling a sharp rush of relief. He hadn't really planned to admit that this had been a day to remember, and the fact that Eliot obviously took it seriously delighted him.

Eliot kissed his ear and turned his head to give Lindsey a slightly amused but fond look. "Ya thought I'd be laughing, right? Or freakin' out?"

Lindsey's eyes widened. _Caught_. He felt himself starting to blush, and Eliot chuckled.

"Y'know ~~-~~ that soft spot y'always try to hide? I got used to it."

Lindsey almost snorted. _Soft spot. Look who's talkin'._

But he refrained from commenting because Eliot added "Now feed me some chocolate, will ya? Or -" He slowly rolled his hips against Lindsey's. "Thought you wanted to reach the bed?"

"Hmmm..." Lindsey pursed his lips and pretended to think it over. Then he grinned happily and nodded, causing Eliot's smile to turn decidedly wicked. Lindsey reached for the spoon, twisted himself around in Eliot's hold and collected some sauce from the bowl. He had planned to tease Eliot a bit by waving the spoon, but Eliot quickly snatched his wrist and guided the spoon to his mouth. His tongue darted out to catch a stray drop of sauce, and Lindsey inhaled sharply, his arousal returning full force. Despite Eliot's grip on his wrist, his hand trembled a little, and a small dollop of the sticky mass dropped from the spoon and slowly ran down his fingers. Automatically he leaned towards his hand to lick it off, but Eliot tightened his grip and pulled Lindsey's wrist away. His eyes flashed almost predatory. "Mine," Eliot growled, and, never taking his eyes off Lindsey's face, he leaned in and slowly ran his tongue up Lindsey's wrist towards his fingers.

Lindsey's breath caught in his throat. The spoon slipped out of his weakening hold and Eliot caught it without looking, twirled it by reflex and threw it on the table. A quick, devilish grin spread over his face, and then he closed his mouth around Lindsey's chocolate-covered fingers. He sucked gently, swirling his tongue around them, licking away every sweet stain that was left. Lindsey's head fell back and a low moan escaped him. Eliot rolled his hips against him once again, and Lindsey had to grab Eliot's shoulder with his free hand because his knees suddenly turned to jelly. He heard and felt a low chuckle in Eliot's throat, and couldn't help but whimper at the loss when Eliot finally released his fingers. Eliot raised his eyebrows.

"Like that, do ya?"

Lindsey growled impatiently, deciding abruptly that he had put up with enough teasing already. He quickly grabbed a fistful of Eliot's hair, yanked him closer and smashed their lips together, aggressively kissing that grin off Eliot's face. With one hand still tangled in Eliot's hair, he slid his other hand under Eliot's shirt and raked his nails over smooth skin, causing Eliot to gasp against his mouth. Lindsey pulled back, his breathing fast and heavy. "Darlin', if ya want me to obey that fuckin' rule, then get to the bedroom already, or..."

He had no chance to finish. Eliot pulled him back into a fierce kiss while grabbing Lindsey's belt and maneuvering him away from the table and out of the kitchen towards the bedroom. He only broke the kiss for the split second he needed to get rid of his shirt and then their mouths met again, kissing, licking and biting, letting their mutual need take over. Somehow they managed to stumble into the bedroom without tripping over furniture or breaking lamps, and with a last twist of his hands Eliot pushed Lindsey towards the bed. Lindsey didn't let go and they landed on the bed in in a heap of tangled limbs.

The uncoordinated tumble finally broke their kiss, and both men tried to catch their breath. Eliot braced himself up to support his weight and they just looked at each other, as if they needed to memorize each other's faces. Lindsey gasped softly at the expression that went over Eliot's face for a moment. It was far more than just physical need - it was the look of someone who had found something he had lost a long time ago, and still couldn't believe his luck. Lindsey had barely time to think _I know how you feel_ before Eliot slowly lowered his head and murmured barely audible "Missed you," before brushing his lips over Lindsey's again.

"Missed you too," Lindsey breathed out against Eliot's mouth, running his hands up Eliot's back and cradling his neck. He felt Eliot's hands slipping under his shirt, caressing his sides while Eliot's lips slowly ghosted along his jaw up to the soft skin below his ear. Lindsey closed his eyes and let his head fall back. He let himself get lost in those tender caresses, enjoying the contrast to their heated kissing earlier, before he decided to get back into action. He roughly ran his fingers through the unruly mass of curls that had been Eliot's neat ponytail not long ago, smiling at the low growl he got in response. Just like that his deeply hidden lingering fears shut themselves off, and he knew that they wouldn’t happen, period. He blinked rapidly a few times, lips curling into a gleeful smile. Then he tightened his grip around Eliot's nape and brought his mouth up to Eliot's ear. "Say... you still wanna tie me to the bed?"

Eliot's slow movements stilled. His lifted his head, blinked and stared at Lindsey, clearly not having expected those words here and now. Lindsey had to grin despite feeling a little nervous. Eliot's lips moved, but it took him two deep intakes of breath and one more try before he could answer. "I... yeah. Linds..." He hesitated, open concern now visible on his face. "Are you sure?"

Lindsey held Eliot's expecting gaze. _I want it. Because you do. Because I fucking refuse these memories to ruin this. Because I am stronger than that._ _We_ _are. And I ain't gonna tell you that face to face, because you wouldn't know how to react to that._ _But hey, that's how it is..._

Lindsey suppressed a chuckle and simply answered "Yes." Eliot slowly released his breath. Lindsey ran his fingers over Eliot’s bare chest. "I have no clue if I'm gonna... like it, but - yeah, I'm sure."

Eliot didn't say anything, he just searched Lindsey's face. Finally he seemed to be convinced by the honesty he found there and his face lit up. He pressed a quick kiss on Lindsey's chin and stood up. "Stay." Lindsey nodded, sat himself upright and began to unbutton his shirt. Eliot turned back to him. "No. Leave that."

Lindsey's hands stilled and he looked up at Eliot, confused. "But..."

Eliot's gaze wandered appreciatively over the buttons, the short sleeves and Lindsey's bare arms. He gave him a slow wicked grin. "That's part of the fun, Linds. You'll see. But you could get rid of your boots. Might get difficult later." He winked and opened a drawer.

Lindsey quickly kicked off his boots and watched Eliot rummaging around in the drawer and, finally, fish something out. Lindsey reflexively tensed when Eliot turned back, holding two pairs of handcuffs. Eliot got rid of his own shoes and crouched down in front of the bed. Lindsey could see how hard Eliot fought back his arousal in order to calm him down. Lindsey's throat tightened as a wave of relief erased his tension, and he almost huffed out a sarcastic laugh. _Wanting this is apparently not the same as really being ready. Fucking subconcious._

Eliot dropped the cuffs in Lindsey's lap. His voice was a little hoarse, but controlled. "I'm gonna use those. They won't get too tight, so you can still move your wrist inside, okay?"

Lindsey picked the cuffs up and recognized them as part of their cover package from Los Angeles. He examined them closer, running his fingers over the cold metal. He was still a bit hesitant, but for that look on Eliot's face he knew it would be worth it. He nodded and flashed Eliot a quick smile. "Got it." He pressed the cuffs back into Eliot's hands, took a deep breath and lay back. Eliot moved forward and knelt on the bed next to him. He stilled for a short while, just watching Lindsey's face. Lindsey caught his eyes. _You would wait all night until you’re sure I’m ready, right? And call it off if you ain’t._ It was a comforting thought. He gave Eliot an assuring grin which apparently convinced Eliot that Lindsey was relaxed enough.

Eliot grinned back. He quickly tied his hair back again and then gently ran his hand along Lindsey's left arm. He closed his hand around his wrist and shifted it over Lindsey's head until it almost touched the headboard. Lindsey felt a cool touch at his wrist and immediately afterwards heard a faint click followed by a second one as the cuff closed around his wrist and then the railing of the headboard. He experimentally twisted his arm and was pleased to find that he still had a degree of mobility where the cuffs could slide along the bed railing. He looked up at Eliot's already flushed face and felt his own arousal increasing by a not-so-small amount.

Eliot took his right wrist and picked up the second pair. He gently brushed his thumb over Lindsey's palm. "Okay?"

Lindsey's eyes met Eliot's, and the naked _want_ he could read in them took his breath away. That, and the simple fact that he only had to shake his head and Eliot would end this, was enough to kill any doubt left. He released his breath and closed his eyes in anticipation for a moment. "Yeah."

The cuffs clicked into place and he felt Eliot's lips at his ear, breathing out a last instruction. "One word, Linds... and I'll take them off. Got it?"

Lindsey nodded, eyes still closed. He felt a shiver running through Eliot's body and opened his eyes again. He could vividly remember the time Eliot had first talked about this. With a teasing smile he stretched his arms out even more and arched his back off the bed, never taking his eyes off Eliot's face. He saw Eliot's breath hitch and the small whimper that escaped him made Lindsey bite his lip to keep from doing the same. Eliot gave him a small amazed smile and leaned over to kiss him softly. Automatically Lindsey wanted to wrap his arms around Eliot's shoulders and huffed out a laugh against Eliot's mouth as the sharp tug on his wrists reminded him that no, not possible, cause hey, that was the point of it all. It felt odd. It didn't hurt and wasn't even as uncomfortable as he had thought it could be.

 _But shit, I wanna touch him!_ He whimpered into the kiss, slightly frustrated when he realized that he wouldn’t be able to grab Eliot's hair like he loved to. _I’ll have to ask him how this works - do I tell him what I want? Where to kiss me?_ Eliot seemed to realize that Lindsey’s mind had wandered off, and he gently nipped on Lindsey’s lower lip. Lindsey moaned. _Do I need to beg? Is that what he wants?_ He seriously considered the idea as Eliot's lips wandered over his jaw to below his ear. But all he managed was a sharp intake of breath as Eliot's tongue licked his soft skin. Then Eliot’s voice breathed into Lindsey's ear.

"Ready for the good stuff?" Eliot pulled his head back a little and smirked. Lindsey just nodded and Eliot's smirk widened. He moved quickly and straddled Lindsey's hips, making a small approving noise as he clearly could feel Lindsey's half-hard cock through both of their jeans.

Lindsey snorted and decided that begging wasn’t his style today. He pulled lightly at the cuffs. "Yeah, very funny. Could you... oh FUCK..." The sentence ended in a groan as Eliot deliberately slowly rolled his hips, letting Lindsey feel his arousal. Then Eliot leaned forward, placed his hands on both sides of Lindsey's head to support himself and kissed him again, languidly, with parted lips. Lindsey responded eagerly. It was unexpectedly sensual - Eliot's bare chest never made full contact with his body and his hands stayed on the bed, so, apart from the pressure on his groin, all Lindsey could feel of Eliot was his mouth. Lindsey loved how surprisingly soft those lips were, a fact he had never appreciated before this moment. He closed his eyes to deepen the sensation, and began to notice other details. The one small spot on Eliot’s upper lip where a split wasn't fully healed yet. The scratch of the stubble on Eliot’s jaw where it brushed against his skin. The unique taste of _Eliot_ , with a hint of chocolate still lingering. Lindsey tried to lift up his head a bit, wanting to deepen the kiss, but Eliot pulled back, laughing softly.

"I’m just gettin' started. Relax, Linds."

Lindsey rolled his eyes. "You can talk, darlin'." He wanted to sound annoyed, but the kiss had left him breathless, making it impossible to sound angry. Eliot grinned wickedly, leaned forward again and brushed his lips softly over Lindsey's jaw. Lindsey felt his weight shifting a bit and then could feel Eliot's fingers tracing down his neck to the first button of his shirt. Eliot opened two of them, exposing a small amount of skin. Eliot's lips followed the track of his fingertips immediately, sliding down his jaw and neck, first kissing the base of Lindsey's throat and then changing the kiss to a soft nibble. Lindsey slowly tipped his head to the side, giving Eliot a better access. Eliot took the hint and kept kissing and nipping at Lindsey's skin. Lindsey sighed with pleasure. It wasn’t his absolute favorite spot to be kissed, but combined with the increasing pressure on his cock Lindsey had no complaints at all. Eliot shifted his position again, changing to his right hand to support his weight and opening the next buttons with his left. Eliot slowly moved backwards and then sat up, straddling Lindsey's thighs. Lindsey had just closed his eyes and slipped into a comfortable daze of arousal, and actually needed a second to register the change. He recluctantly opened his eyes again, lifted his head and frowned. The quite colorful protest that ran through his head only managed to came out as an agitated "Wha?" which made Eliot grin wickedly again.

"I did tell you I'm gonna take this slow, right?" Lindsey whined in the back of his throat, and Eliot chuckled before he leaned forward again and licked over the newly exposed skin of Lindsey's chest. Lindsey closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths to fight the urge to pull at the cuffs. The want, _need_ to touch Eliot was overwhelming, and the fact that Eliot still kept body contact to a minimum didn't help. Lindsey bit his lip to stop himself from pleading for more. _No. Nope, still not begging._ Finally the last two buttons were open and Eliot finished pulling the shirt out of Lindsey's jeans. He caught Lindsey's eyes and grinned happily at the sight of the flushed face. "See? No need for ya to take it off..." He slowly brushed his hands over Lindsey's chest, pushing the shirt away.

Lindsey exhaled slowly and shakily at the slight skin contact. The denial of more touches made his own skin overly sensitive – he could feel the slight scratching of a faulty stitching in his shirt on his left shoulder, felt the way a seam of his jeans pressed into his thigh where the cloth had hitched up wrong, _and wow, I never noticed how soft our sheets are...and why is Eliot not moving?_ Lindsey lifted his head to check, and the sight sent an anticipating shiver through his body. Eliot was breathing fast and heavily and his eyes were dark with need as he took in the sight of Lindsey's outstretched body. Eliot leaned forward and cupped Lindsey’s face for a second before lowering himself on hands and knees until they were eye to eye again. And finally, _finally_ Eliot lowered his body slowly down until their lips and skin made contact at the same time.

Lindsey groaned into Eliot's mouth. _About time._ It was the same lazy kiss as before, but with Eliot's chest pressed closely against him. _God, I'll never again take skin contact for granted._ The feel of Eliot's erection against his own swelling cock sent small waves of arousal through his body. Lindsey whimpered softly and arched his back up, begging with his body to Eliot not to move away. _That... doesn't count as begging if I don't talk, right?_

Eliot laughed softly, as if he had read Lindsey's thoughts. Still kissing Lindsey, he shifted his weight so he could move his right hand and run it along Lindsey's arm up to his wrist. He pushed himself up a little bit so he could see Lindsey's eyes. "Still okay?" he murmured and Lindsey nodded weakly.

"Wanna touch you..." He barely got the words out before Eliot ran his lips along his jaw and down to his chest while sliding down on Lindsey's body again. Lindsey's hips jerked up as Eliot straddled his upper legs, and Lindsey decided on a whim that maybe begging was back on the menu today after all. "Fuck, Eliot... please... need..."

Eliot leaned forward again and put his weight on his left hand. Lindsey's words died in a hoarse cry as Eliot started to caress his side while he closed his mouth around one of Lindsey's already hard nipples and sucked softly. Lindsey arched his back as Eliot's tongue flicked over one nipple while his fingers played with the other one, setting nerves alight. A small needy sound escaped him as Eliot continued, now slowly nipping a path back and forth, alternating between licking and stroking. Lindsey felt his own erection almost painfully straining against the tight denim of his jeans, and he tried to buck up his hips, seeking more friction. Eliot just chuckled against his skin, then pushed himself up a bit and simply slid back to sit on Lindsey's thighs again. The action removed any pressure from Lindsey's cock. Lindsey cursed a blue streak and pulled at the cuffs. "Dammit Eliot!" The small friction from his jeans was just not enough, and he couldn’t even buck up against Eliot’s weight.

Eliot tilted his head at the colorful stream of words. Seemingly unimpressed, he leaned in again, grabbed Lindsey's hips and pressed them to the bed. He started placing small butterfly kisses on Lindsey's stomach and then slowly nipped his way down. Lindsey gritted his teeth. _No. No more begging. Not that easy, Eliot. Not that.._. He gasped and almost failed on his resolution as Eliot's tongue swiveled around his navel. Lindsey closed his eyes. _He has done this before, but this is...wow._ He barely realized that Eliot's hold on his hips had disappeared, along with a good part of friction on his cock. He blinked, lifted his head a bit and realized that Eliot had worked the button and zipper of Lindsey’s jeans open while still kissing his belly. Lindsey chuckled hoarsely. _Taking it slow indeed._ He briefly pondered faking impatience, but then a large section of Eliot's hair suddenly slipped out of the ponytail and became loose. It softly tickled Lindsey's stomach, and the indignant noise Lindsey wanted to make died in his throat. Eliot's warm, slighty rough tongue, combined with the tingling that brushed on and off Lindsey's skin, was a sensation that was almost too much. Lindsey arched his back and cried out. "Eliot... please... don't... stop..." Lindsey choked out the words, not even knowing if it was a plea to stop or to go on. He more felt than heard Eliot muttering something against his skin, and then Eliot pushed himself up on his knees. Lindsey let out a shuddering breath that cleared his brain a little and lifted his head to meet Eliot's eyes.

Lindsey sucked in a sharp breath as time seemed to slow down suddenly. The visual was slightly predatory - Eliot's eyes were dark, pupils blown with lust. He was panting harshly, his hair wild and in damp curls around his face, a fine shine of sweat on his skin. It reminded Lindsey of a cat crouching before attacking. _No, not attacking,_ he corrected himself dazedly. _Possessive. And... protective._ The thought struck him that he should be afraid, because he couldn't free himself, and the only thing that prevented him from getting hurt was Eliot's ability to control himself. And yet Lindsey wasn't. He even briefly thought about the warrior in the cellar chamber, but he shrugged it off easily. _"One word, Linds... and I'll take them off. Got it?"_ He knew that Eliot’s earlier words were still valid, and that was enough. He gave Eliot a cocky grin and tilted his head. "Come on," he whispered in a hoarse voice, lifting his hips up in invitation.

Eliot's lips twitched slightly. His hands closed around the hem of both Lindsey's jeans and boxers. "See, good thing you got your boots off already." Eliot gave Lindsey a pointedly devilish grin while he pulled jeans and boxers down. It seemed to take forever, and Lindsey hissed as the tight fabric slid over his hard and already oversensitive cock, exposing it to cooler air. He lifted his hips again to allow Eliot to pull everything off completely. Eliot tossed the clothes aside to the floor and slid to the empty side of the bed. He knelt next Lindsey’s hips and eyed him up and down, obviously pleased with Lindsey's state of arousal.

Lindsey fully expected Eliot to touch him now, and he unconsciously pulled at the cuffs, shivering with need, barely noticing the faint protesting ache of the muscles in his arms. He glared heatedly at Eliot. _Fucking move already!_ But Eliot pointedly ignored that and just smiled very contendly. Lindsey twisted his leg, trying to nudge Eliot with his knee into moving closer, and a sob escaped his throat. "Eliot... God, please..." It must have sounded more desperate than Lindsey had intended, because Eliot's head jerked up. His smile disappeared and a look of concern flashed over his face.

“You still okay?” Lindsey narrowed his eyes and just growled, repeating the nudge more urgently. Eliot laughed, clearly relieved, and swatted playfully at Lindsey’s leg. "Gettin' impatient? Breathe, Linds. Relax. Or I'm gonna get up an' get me some strawberries first." He tried to make a serious face and Lindsey had to laugh. He hurried to stretch his legs again, trying to hold still. Eliot nodded appreciatively, flashed Lindsey a smug grin and patted his stomach. "That's better." Lindsey huffed and tried to think of a witty reply, but all coherency blew out of the window when Eliot suddenly leaned forward, closed his right hand around the base of Lindsey's cock, and then slowly ran his tongue along the hard length.

Lindsey almost choked on his breath. His fists clenched and it took the last bits of his willpower not to buck his hips up. He forced himself to hold his legs still, but couldn't prevent a mewling sound as Eliot's tongue softly circled the head of his cock. The mewling changed from desperate to protesting as Eliot broke the contact. But Eliot only shifted his weight a bit. He placed small nipping kisses along Lindsey's hipbones while his fingertips brushed along Lindsey's cock, barely touching the hot skin, teasing the already wet head first and then running feather-light touches down the shaft to his balls and back.

Lindsey lost all sense of time and place for the moment. He didn't feel the slight burning in his arms anymore, he wasn't even sure if all the whimpering sounds in his head even came out of his mouth. He was breathing fast and ragged, and felt the heat of his orgasm pooling up. He could only gasp out a few words. "El... Eliot... now... please..." He barely realized that Eliot had stopped touching him. He whined in protest and lifted his head. "Wha...?"

The word died in his throat at the sight of Eliot, who had straightened up and palmed himself through his jeans, squeezing roughly and biting his lips. Lindsey vaguely heard him release a stuttering breath and then Eliot was back, leaning over his body again. He licked almost lazily over the head of Lindsey's cock again, drawing out another moan. Eliot swirled his tongue once, twice, and then abruptly pulled back. He moved his legs and kneeled over Lindsey's body. Eliot leaned forward again, bracing himself on his hands, and Lindsey could feel Eliot's erection pressing hard against him through Eliot's jeans. Eliot slowly lowered his head and kissed him, lips slightly parted, one hand cupping his face. Lindsey's hips bucked up, searching the last bit of pressure that he needed, but it still wasn't enough. Eliot chuckled against his lips, voice hoarse and gravelly from his own arousal. "Another reason why I don't like givin' blow jobs, Linds?" He lifted his head up and searched Lindsey's face. "Can't look into your eyes properly then," he murmured softly, tracing a finger along Lindsey's jaw. "Can't see how you _look_. Can't kiss you when you come." Lindsey felt his lips brushing over his ear. "I've got ya, baby. Let go, Linds." With that Eliot lifted his head again, locked his gaze with Lindsey and curled his fingers around Lindsey's cock. All it took was a few more soft strokes and Eliot's thumb brushing over the sensitive head, and Lindsey fell apart. Digging his heels into the bed, he arched his body up and his wordless cry was swallowed up by Eliot kissing him. He bucked and writhed against Eliot's body, gasping out his name again and again while the force of his orgasm rippled through him, finally whiting out his vision.

An eternity later Lindsey dazedly realized that Eliot had already taken off the cuffs and was sitting next to him, gently rubbing Lindsey’s arms. Lindsey huffed out a laugh. _Must have lost a few seconds here. Whoa._ Slowly he caught his breath and his vision came back into focus. Lindsey tried to sit up, wincing at the pins and needles feeling in his arms. Eliot immediately wrapped an arm around him and pulled him into a more comfortable position before continuing to rub his arms. Lindsey made an appreciative noise and sagged against Eliot's chest. He felt pleasantly limp and boneless and couldn't bring himself to stay upright for longer. Eliot looked down at him and softly brushed a damp strand of hair out of Lindsey's face.

Lindsey smiled sleepily. "Wow." He laughed again, breathless and amazed. "That was... yeah. Wow." He reached up and pulled Eliot down to kiss him lazily. He moved his hips to snuggle closer and suddenly frowned. He pulled back and gave Eliot a surprised look, noticing now that his face was still flushed and lacked the familiar post-sex relaxed expression. Lindsey reached out and gently cupped Eliot's groin. "You didn't..."

Eliot huffed out a slightly strained sounding amused laugh. "Um, no. Not yet." He leaned forward and captured Lindsey's mouth with a quick tender kiss. "This was for you." Lindsey stared at him, speechless. Eliot shrugged. “I figured I’d better make it really good for you. First time an’ all.” Eliot gave Lindsey a lopsided grin that only half-heartedly covered up the apprehension in his eyes. “So that there’ll be a next time.”

 _How... how do I deserve you?_ Lindsey finally remembered to breathe again and chuckled inwardly. _And why am I still surprised about things like this after all this time?_ He trailed his index finger down Eliot's chest and gave him a broad smile. "Definitely.” He tilted his head while his finger trailed even lower. “D’ya want me to take care of that?" He crunched his nose. "Must be uncomfortable."

Eliot hissed at the touch and clenched his fist for a moment, which kind of confirmed Lindsey's words. Eliot took a few sharp breaths before he could speak again. "Yeah, a bit." He managed a small grin. "But I was thinking... shower."

Looking down on his come-covered stomach, Lindsey had to laugh. "Yeah. Good idea." He gave Eliot a grin. "Let's hurry then." He swung his legs out of the bed and tried to stand up, honestly surprised that it worked despite the fact that his knees still felt like jelly.

Eliot grinned back. "Be right with ya." He began taking off his jeans, groaning at the pressure they caused on his cock. Lindsey shook off his shirt, hurriedly padded over to the bathroom, got into the shower and began adjusting the water temperature. Eliot stepped in right behind him, wrapped his arms around him and nuzzled his neck. Lindsey leaned into the touch for a moment, enjoying the feeling of safety, of Eliot's warm skin against Lindsey's backside. Eliot pressed his hips forward, letting Lindsey feel his still-hard cock. Lindsey purred approvingly, but then made a small regretful noise, moved out of the embrace and turned around.

"Not my turn this time, darlin'," he murmured and gently put his hands on Eliot's shoulders, carefully guiding him around to face the running shower. Eliot groaned as the hot water hit his chest, massaging his muscles. Lindsey waited a few seconds, letting Eliot enjoy the water, and then tipped the shower head away from them. He grabbed the shower gel, poured a good dollop in his hand and began soaping up Eliot's upper body. His hands slid teasingly over hard nipples and Lindsey grinned smugly as Eliot let his head fall back on Lindsey's shoulder, whimpering softly. Lindsey ran his soapy hands slowly over Eliot's arms, then along his sides. He softly kissed Eliot between his shoulder blades and wandered upwards, using more and more teeth. Eliot's breathing got faster as Lindsey finally wrapped his arms around Eliot's chest and started nibbling on Eliot’s neck.

"Keep... doing that..." Eliot hoarsely choked out the words, and Lindsey answered the plea with a teasing bite. Eliot's body tensed. "Fuck, Linds!" Lindsey sucked at the soft skin on Eliot's neck and then let go, smiling proudly at the reaction. Eliot took a deep breath and half-turned around, far enough so that he could press a hard kiss against Lindsey's lips, but avoided having his cock trapped between their bodies. He put his left arm around Lindsey's waist and slid his other hand down on his own body, wrapping his fingers around his cock. Lindsey loosened his hold to give Eliot room. He lowered his gaze and drew in a sharp breath at the sight of Eliot stroking himself, panting harshly, hips jerking into his touch. Eliot let his head fall on Lindsey's shoulder, his grip tightened almost painfully, and he gasped. "Linds... please..."

"Let me help ya." Lindsey breathed the words against Eliot's ear. He quickly grabbed the shower gel again and poured it generously over his left hand. He placed his right hand gently on Eliot's shoulder and guided Eliot around a little more to find the right angle, so he could properly splay his soapy hand on Eliot's taut stomach. It took him a few tries to find the right angle, but finally he could feel Eliot's muscles tense and twitch under his fingers. He gently ran his hand over Eliot's hips first as far as he could reach, and then trailed down to Eliot's cock. He laced his fingers with Eliot's, picking up the slow rhythm of his strokes. He could feel shivers running through Eliot's body, and the tiny movements of Eliot's soap-slick skin against his still sensitive cock made Lindsey hiss softly. He moved his hips a little to avoid the pressure that was still a little too much. Eliot lifted his head again, and Lindsey bit his lip at the sight of Eliot's face. He had never understood Eliot's urge to watch him during sex better than now. The tight control from earlier had melted away completely. Eliot's eyes were half-closed and his lips slightly parted, and he gasped for air, silently forming words that never came out.

 _Vulnerable._ That word was not something Lindsey would usually apply to Eliot during sex, but now... It hit him how much Eliot trusted him, how far they had come in this one year. Lindsey gently tightened his hold on Eliot's shoulder, trying to give at least some of the feeling of protection back that he himself had felt on their bed. He tipped his head to the side to kiss Eliot's neck. "I've got you, darlin'", he whispered and at the same time brushed his thumb over the head of Eliot's cock. A shuddering gasp of his name followed, and was all the encouragement Lindsey needed. He tightened his fingers on Eliot's cock just a tiny bit more, and brought his lips back on Eliot's neck. He pressed his mouth on the soft skin and on a sudden impulse started to hum a wordless melody.

"Fuck!" Eliot's body stiffened and he arched into the touch of their joined hands. His hips thrust forward once more and Lindsey felt warm come flooding over his fingers. Lindsey kept stroking softly while Eliot let go of his cock and helplessly grabbed Lindsey's shoulders for support, his body shaking with the force of the climax. Lindsey put both of his arms around Eliot, caressed his back and kissed his neck, humming a few last notes. Eliot still clung to his shoulders, trying to regain his balance and gasping for air. Lindsey just held Eliot steady. The sight of his blissed-out partner, with wet hair clinging to his face, eyes half closed again and trying to slow down his breathing, was something he would treasure in his memories forever. Lindsey gently brushed a wet strand out of Eliot's face. _God, Eliot. Seeing you like this, not afraid to let go anymore? Is even better than coming._ He cupped Eliot's face and brushed his lips against Eliot's, feeling his soft panting slowly fade back into normal breathing. Finally Eliot exhaled slowly, pulled back and straightened a bit. The fond expression on his face made Lindsey feel all warm inside. "Thanks", Eliot said quietly, and Lindsey just had to kiss him in return. Finally Eliot broke the kiss and gave Lindsey a sated smile.

"We should classify your voice as a weapon, Linds."

Lindsey laughed delightedly. "Looks like I found something you like." He leaned forward to steal another kiss, playfully licked a few droplets from Eliot's chin and then pointed to the lever. "We should get ready, dontcha think? There's strawberries waiting."

Eliot nodded approvingly. They lazily finished up showering, stopping a few times to kiss again. It took them a while, but finally they were curled up on the couch, hair still wet, only wrapped in towels, the bowl of strawberries and another with the sauce next to them. Lindsey picked a smaller one, dipped it in the sauce and fed it to Eliot before quickly chasing it with a kiss. He broke the kiss to snag one of the strawberries for himself and slid closer again, leaning his forehead against Eliot's.

"And by the way, thank you too," he said quietly. He straightened and answered Eliot's fond look with a small smile. He wasn't sure if they needed to talk more about it, or if just a little reassurance would be enough for Eliot. _No big talk_ , he decided, not in this relaxed and mellow mood. “Ya know,” he said lightly, "you're getting really good at this whole 'killing inner demons' thing." He slipped another berry between Eliot's lips, hoping Eliot would get the hint. He felt a bit relieved when he saw the amused glint in Eliot's eyes.

"I could consider it as a second career. Y'know, for when this whole retrieval thing stops workin' out." He darted his head forward and snatched another strawberry from Lindsey's fingers. Lindsey made a surprised indignant sound, and Eliot grinned proudly. Then his eyes fell on Lindsey’s wrists and his grin faded. He took Lindsey's hand and softly brushed his thumb over the faint red bruise on his wrist. He looked up. "These are gonna show tomorrow."

Lindsey glanced at his wrists. "Huh. Yeah." He ran his fingers over them and then shrugged, smiling sleepily at Eliot. "Don' care. They don't hurt." He yawned a little and curled against Eliot, eyes slowly falling shut. Eliot reached over him to pick up a smaller strawberry and brushed it teasingly over Lindsey's lips until Lindsey quickly snatched it with his teeth without even opening his eyes.

Eliot chuckled and picked himself a new one. "Better watch out for some dirty comments, though. If Parker sees them..."

Lindsey's eyes flew open in horror. "Holy fuckin' shit!" He buried his face at Eliot's shoulder and made a whining noise. "I better prepare for some inappropriate outburst at the most embarrassing moment, right?"

Eliot patted his back and chuckled. "Yeah. Most likely. Cos I doubt your sleeves will cover those completely." He picked the last strawberry from the bowl, dipped it in the sauce and dangled it over Lindsey's face until he opened his mouth. Eliot dropped the fruit and waited until Lindsey had chewed it. Then he slowly licked a stray drizzle of sauce from Lindsey's cheek before brushing his lips over Lindsey's. He flicked his tongue at Lindsey's lower lip, seeking entrance, and Lindsey parted his lips willingly, forgetting anything about the team's possible reactions for the moment.

*****

Alec Hardison looked up from his laptop as the door to the conference room opened. A big grin spread over his face as Lindsey and Eliot entered the room. "Morning guys! You're early - the others aren’t in yet." He motioned to a bowl of cookies sitting in the middle of the table. "Help yourself. And hey, Eliot?" His grin got even bigger and slightly mischievous. "That must have been the night of your life, man! I'm so jealous!"

Lindsey choked on the sip of coffee he had just taken and sputtered it over half the table. Hardison gave him a questioning look. "You okay, Lindsey?" He yelped in surprise as Eliot suddenly slammed his hands on the table and leaned forward, growling. Hardison recoiled hastily a few steps, away from the death glare on Eliot's face. "Hey hey hey, cool it. What did I say?"

Eliot narrowed his eyes. His voice was low and threatening. "Hardison. If I find out now that you bugged our bedroom..."

The hacker's eyes widened as he realized what exactly Eliot had been thinking. He hastily lifted his hands in defeat. "Strawberries, man! I was talking about the strawberries!" At Eliot's heavily doubtful look he took one more step back, babbling on his explanation. "I saw Lindsey yesterday, okay? Just came back with a bowl of the biggest yummiest-looking strawberries I've seen in a looong time, and does he share? Does he even allow me one little fruit? Naw." His voice turned into a mockery of Lindsey's accent. "'They are for Eliot, hands off, Hardison! Get some yourself, or, you know, let Parker steal some!'" His voice returned to normal, a little less panicky as he could detect a faint twitch of laughter on Eliot's face and an amused look on Lindsey's. He grinned, feeling relieved. "That's all, I swear! Cross my heart, I would never... uh, you know."

Eliot fixated Hardison's face for a moment longer and then slowly nodded, obviously content for the moment. Then he grinned, looking like the cat who got the canary. "Yeah. They were awesome."

Hardison stepped closer to the table again and let himself fall into his chair, feeling a mixture of relief and curiosity. _I wonder if they used them for... something other than just simply eating_. He suppressed a wicked grin, and at that moment Lindsey reached across the table to grab a cookie. Hardison's eyes involuntarily followed the movement and then his eyes widened. Lindsey's sleeve had hitched up and his bracelet had shifted a bit. A light red bruise around his wrist was clearly visible, and Hardison's eyes almost bugged out of his skull as he put two and two together. A small gasp escaped him. Lindsey turned his head and caught his stunned look. The corners of his lips curled up and he gave Hardison a wink before he stuffed the cookie in his mouth and made an almost obscene moaning sound.

Feeling a faint blush on his cheeks, Hardison gave Lindsey a wide fake smile. "Strawberries, man. My Nana used to make strawberry cake with vanilla cream, hey, I wish you could have tasted that! Her neighbor friend once called them mouth orgasms when she didn't know that us kids were around, and I remember asking her what it meant, and..." He broke off mid-sentence at the sight of Eliot staring at him like he had lost his mind. Hardison stared back and grinned even wider. "But, um, I'm sure you have great recipes, too. Yes. Which reminds me, you could do some cooking for us again one day, right? But hey, no hurry. And whoa, I really need to finish this. Have some more cookies."

He waved in the general direction of the cookie bowl, turned away and began typing some nonsense on his laptop, just to avoid having to look at the two other men. He could hear Lindsey whisper, followed by Eliot chuckling. He stared intently at the screen, but his thoughts wandered. _Handcuffs. I wonder if Parker ever tried them. Or blindfolds. Man, that fight scene I saw last week... wow. I have to find out. Ooh, that could get interesting._ A big goofy smile spread over his face. He had the very distinctive feeling that tonight could very well be the night of his life, too.


End file.
